Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface and acknowledgments
- Maps
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The political and diplomatic background to the establishment of peace support operations in Lebanon, Somalia and Kosovo
- 3 Legal framework of UN peacekeeping forces and issues of command and control
- 4 United Nations peacekeeping in Lebanon, Somalia and Kosovo, and the use of force
- 5 UN military operations and international humanitarian and human rights law
- 6 Conclusion
- Appendix 1 Resolutions of the Security Council: UNIFIL
- Appendix 2 Resolutions of the Security Council: Somalia
- Appendix 3 Resolutions of the Security Council: Kosovo
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - United Nations peacekeeping in Lebanon, Somalia and Kosovo, and the use of force
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 July 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface and acknowledgments
- Maps
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The political and diplomatic background to the establishment of peace support operations in Lebanon, Somalia and Kosovo
- 3 Legal framework of UN peacekeeping forces and issues of command and control
- 4 United Nations peacekeeping in Lebanon, Somalia and Kosovo, and the use of force
- 5 UN military operations and international humanitarian and human rights law
- 6 Conclusion
- Appendix 1 Resolutions of the Security Council: UNIFIL
- Appendix 2 Resolutions of the Security Council: Somalia
- Appendix 3 Resolutions of the Security Council: Kosovo
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Introduction
The principles governing the use of force are fundamental to peacekeeping forces and are one of the characteristics that distinguish peacekeeping from enforcement operations. Although the UN Charter does not specifically provide for peacekeeping operations, their establishment and development is now based upon a number of fundamental principles, adherence to which may well determine the success of a peacekeeping mission. One of these, the prohibition on the use of force, other than in self-defence, is an essential characteristic of traditional peacekeeping operations and is based on practical and doctrinal considerations. Despite these, both the Brahimi Report and the report on the events that led to the fall of Srebrenica question the traditional response of UN forces to the use of force, each advocating the formulation of a more robust doctrine. The UN Secretary-General's report on ‘threats and challenges’ has referred to the characterisation of peacekeeping missions in terms of ‘Chapter VI’ or ‘Chapter VII’ operations as somewhat misleading. It acknowledges that there is a distinction between operations in which a robust use of force is integral to the mission and those that involve more ‘traditional peacekeeping’ in which there is a reasonable expectation that force may not be used. However, in peacekeeping cases – as much as in peace enforcement – it is now the usual practice to adopt a Chapter VII mandate (even if this is not always welcomed by troop contributors).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- UN Peacekeeping in Lebanon, Somalia and KosovoOperational and Legal Issues in Practice, pp. 148 - 213Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007